| FishyJoe said: Piracy is a much bigger issue with hardcore users, because they are the 'nerds'. Sorry if I offended anyone. The casual market is much less likely to pirate, simply because most don't have a clue about such things. |
Sorry - wrong!
Obviously, the casual market in the US is vastly different from the market over here. The market over here simply doesn't work that way.
I live in Hong Kong, 1.5 hours away from Shenzhen, the Special Economic Zone. I go there frequently. What I see is rampant piracy everywhere. Pirated Wii games are sold at the equivalent of US$0.64 (no, that's not a typo - that's sixty-four cents).
The thing is, (and this is the same for the DS) when someone goes and buys a console, be it a casual or hardcore gamer, they are immediately offered the "modified" package. This includes the modchip or pass-through. You can request for a non-modded package, but that is something you have to request - it isn't offered by default.
The storeowner will show you how to use the modded console to play pirated games with. Some stores offer starter packages that include a CD or two filled with games for the DS, or simply point you in the direction of the nearest pirated game store. Many console sellers even offer the pirated games themselves.
So even if the casual market here in China were comparably the same as the casual market in the US, they are quickly educated by retailers - and they become pirating experts in no time.
